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Welcome to Part 2 of our first Listener Q & A!
This week, Jen & Janet tackle 3 more questions:
- “What strategies do you use to deal with a sudden increase in lying in pre-teen boys?”
- “What’s the best way to allow young boys to be adventurous/risky physically while maintaining a clear, safe boundary and being a responsible parent?”
- “How do you talk about the needs of boys and the help they need without sounding dismissive of girls or anti-feminist? For example, as the mother of a boy, I’m not entirely sure I agree with making scouting gender-neutral. I think boys benefit from boys-only time. But how do I make that point without sounding sexist or anti-progressive?”
Have we mentioned that you ask GREAT questions?
In this episode, Jen & Janet dig in and discuss:
- Why tweens are likely to lie (Hint: the tween — & teen — years are all about separating from your parents).
- How your response to your son’s lies will influence his future behavior (Not-so-fun fact: If you consistently come down hard on your kids, they’re more likely to lie.)
- When — and which — consequences are appropriate for boys caught in a lie?
- The role of risk in boys’ development.
- How parental hovering can interfere with boys’ development — and inadvertently increase the risk of injury or inactivity.
- Why moms and female teachers may be boys’ most effective advocates!
- How to advocate for boys without sounding sexist or anti-progressive.
Jen & Janet have a lot of fun recording these podcasts — as you can see in this fully uncut Youtube video. (Go to 3:30 if you want to see Jen & Janet crack up over a poop joke.)
Links we mentioned (or should have) in Episode 113:
Episode 112: Potty Talk, Vaping & School (Listener Q & A, Part 1)
“I Didn’t Do It!” — Jen’s Scholastic Parent & Child article about why kids lie and how to foster truthfulness
Let Them Take Risks – U.S. News article inspired by Jen’s 14 -year-old son
Encouraging Your Son to Take Healthy Risks — article by Jen
For Our Boys – BuildingBoys’ call for moms to advocate for boys
Got a question you’d like us to answer in a future episode? Leave it in the comments below.